Travel Employment Sets Another Record High

David Huether, senior vice president for research and economics at the U.S. Travel Association, commented on the April jobs data released Friday by the U.S. Department of Labor:

"While the jobs news overall is very good, travel continued to outperform the rest of the economy, setting its seventh consecutive employment record. Travel employment added 2,100 jobs for the month, and now stands at close to eight million jobs.

"The travel industry is a leading force in getting Americans back to work. Since losing close to half a million jobs in the Great Recession, the travel industry has added 697,000 jobs and has outpaced job creation in the rest of the economy by 49 percent.

"Pending legislation would boost travel's contributions to the economy even more. The reauthorization of Brand USA and the JOLT Act, both of which would increase international visitors to the U.S., would be like a strong cup of coffee to an industry that is clearly already wide awake. Both pieces of legislation are in various stages of consideration in the House and Senate, and political leaders would be doing a great service for the economy if they managed to pass them before the mid-term elections this fall."